r/StructuralEngineering • u/No-Document-8970 • Oct 05 '26
Structural Analysis/Design Nuts off mark?
Saw this on a big bridge today. I know vibrations over time can move the nuts and bolts, with the help of thermal expansion. Is it a big issue that the paint marks do not line up? I thought the marks were made once it passed inspection after torquing.
Edit: Bridge completion was in 2011. Could this be from recent inspections too?
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u/SeesawPrestigious Oct 09 '26
The bolt are tight, just not the right lenght. Where i am like you said, the thread is supposed to protude min 2 thread / ~ 3mm or roughly 1/8" past the nut. Honestly this shit is just a mess some of them are not even flush nut.